My Feeling Is Just So Right
by Dominobeck
Summary: Zack Ryder thought he was in love with Eve Torres, but things look much different from her perspective.


**Disclaimer:** WWE, not I, owns the characters.

**Author's Note:** Takes place immediately after the 2/13 Raw and diverges. Part of my DB's 50 challenge - prompt No. 50, "Lady."

WWE is obviously taking Eve the heel route, but this is something that struck me after last week's Raw. Or maybe it's just that "the kiss" storyline looked different from my perspective - because I'm still not seeing any sign that Eve was ever into Ryder, nor am I seeing how Ryder was anything but a creepy "nice guy." And It Just Bugged Me.

* * *

><p>Eve Torres was tired of climbing into ambulances.<p>

Oh, if only she could knew one month ago what she knew now...

"No, I want to go," she told one of the paramedics in an insistent tone she rarely used. She could feel John Cena's eyes on her back, but tried to pretend she hadn't noticed. She so did not want to deal with that right now. "I need to go with him. Please."

She knew tears were running down her face, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. What did it matter, now, anyway?

"Thank you," she whispered as the paramedic beckoned her in.

John slid in beside her, but Eve kept her eyes on Zack. She wasn't quite sure if it was shame or embarrassment, but Eve just knew she couldn't face him now. She knew she was going to have to do something about him sooner or later, but...

"Eve."

She shrugged John's hand off her arm. "Not now," she said tonelessly. "I can't - I just can't." She reached out for Zack's hand, but stopped herself just before she could touch him.

That wasn't her place. Stuff like that is what got her into this mess in the first place.

* * *

><p>"Hey," she said softly from the door to his room hours later. "Can I... Can I come in for just a minute?"<p>

Zack glared at her from his bed. "For what?" he asked sullenly. "You already shattered my heart."

Eve sighed and forced herself not to roll her eyes at his woeful voice as she walked in and sat down at his bedside.

"Look, I'm really sorry you saw that - me and Cena," she said. "It was stupid, and I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

Which was true. But by trying to avoid hurting him, all she had done was hurt him worse than if she had just told him after that first date that she wasn't interested. Or hell, if she told him that when he asked her out in the first place.

What a mess.

"But why?" Zack said earnestly. Eve was almost - almost - moved by the adorable puppy dog look he shot her way. "We were so good together. I loved you so much. He's my broski, but I'm so much better for you than Cena."

Eve blinked, hard. Twice. Yeah, that had broken the moment. Good together? What date had he been on?

"Zack," she started hesitantly, feeling like worst person ever - what kind of girl does this while a guy in a neckbrace is laid up in the hospital with a concussion? - but knowing she couldn't let this slide any longer. "We went out once and hung out together in the back a few times. But we didn't - I mean, we weren't -"

"Are you serious?" Zack said indignantly. "You're my girl! We texted all the time! You spent the night at the hospital with me!"

"I was worried about you, Zack," Eve said quietly. "You're my friend, and I care about you. I was so scared for you. But..."

"But I loved you!"

"It's too soon for that! Your girl? Really? You don't even know me," Eve finally hissed. "What's my favorite color? What's my favorite song? My God, Zack - loved me? How can you love someone you don't know?" She took a deep breath then, reminding herself that he had just been thrown off the stage and didn't need her shit on top of that. "Look, Zack, I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. But one date and a bunch of one-sided text messages is not a relationship. We don't fit, Zack. We don't like the same music, we don't like the same kind of food, we don't even like the same kind of dates."

Eve could remember how taken aback she had been by Zack's casual scorn at that salsa club they had passed on their date. She had been itching to go inside, and she had known at that moment that Zack Ryder was never going to be for her.

It was easily one of the worst dates she had ever been on - filled with awkward, long pauses that he filled by staring at her and telling her how pretty she was. And maybe some girls were into that, but it just made her uncomfortable to be treated like, well, like a WWE diva instead of a flesh-and-blood woman.

Truth be told, it had been creepy as hell, but she knew he wasn't a bad guy. And Eve hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings, so she refrained from telling him that it wouldn't work. She figured if she continued to be lukewarm toward him, he would lose interest.

Ha!

"I should have said all this earlier, Zack," Eve finished softly. "But I didn't want to hurt your feelings, so I didn't. But I should have, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"So you've just been pretending all this time to like me?" Zack snorted. "Thanks. Yeah, thanks a lot."

Eve sighed again. This wasn't getting them anywhere. "I do like you, Zack. I mean, I don't dislike you. You're funny, and you're fun to hang out with backstage. But I should have been more clear. I don't like you like that. I didn't realize you, you -" she broke off and waved her hands a little in front of her, unable to find the right words.

"Whatever. Just go, Eve," he said stonily at he stared at the ceiling.

"OK," she said in a quiet, even tone, knowing a losing fight when she saw one. "I hope you feel better soon."

Eve had the sinking feeling Zack Ryder was one of those "nice guys" who ranted about how every girl who turned him down was an evil bitch who stomped all over his innocent heart.

This, she told herself as she left the hospital, is what you get for trying to be nice. Yeah, let's not ever fucking make this mistake again.


End file.
